Don't Change
by il0verice
Summary: Sakura works her way up from a horrible childhood spent at an orphange. Her new friend Mei Lin introduces her to her family business of modeling, owned by the one and only Li Syaoran.
1. Default Chapter

I'm taking a break from my finals..haha.  damn priorities.  Well, I hope you enjoy this new story, I got the inspiration while listening to the song by Musiq Soulchild, 'Don't Change'. This is an alternate reality, no magic involved what so ever. Enjoy! 

**Summary:**

Sakura is a young 19 year old college student, raised from a horrible little orphanage in Tokyo.  Although the orphanage lets out all children at the age of 16, she continues to come back to help the young, abused children. She's working her way through college, and gets noticed by a young her new friend Li Mei Lin.  Her cousin is in charge of the family's modeling business stationed in Tokyo that branched out from Hong Kong.  Hmm..I'll let your imagination run from there. ;')

Disclaimer: nope nope nope nope. I do not own CCS, what a pity.

- - - - -

Yells. Tears of pain, neglect, and sadness. Insults. Beatings. 

For the past 16 years of Kinomoto Sakura's life, all these things have become something she had already adapted too.  Her whole adolescent life was spent in this hellhole of an orphanage in the large city of Tokyo, Japan.  Now being 19, and already accustomed to the brutal treatment of orphans, Sakura spent most of her time at the little children's ward, comforting and treating the small and neglected babies.

"Sakura," a dark haired young man began, "why are you still here?  You're already practically a grown a woman now. You should be living your life and having fun, not tying yourself down in this prison."

"I know Takashi, but I just can't help it," she answered, brushing the hair off of a young child forehead as she slept, "they are so young, so naive. I can't bear the fact of what they will go through growing up here." 

Takashi sighed and sat on the bed with Sakura.  Having only been living at the orphanage for one year at the age of 15, he didn't fully understand how bad the children were kept.  "Sakura, I know you're a compassionate and selfless person, but you also have to take care of yourself.  When was the last time you actually went out and had some fun?"

Sakura stood up and visited another bed, this time a young boy of about 2 years old.  He had silky black hair and peered up at emerald eyes from under his tattered and rough blanket.  Realizing who it was, the young boy, Jet, scrambled up from and hugged the young woman with all his might.

Sakura laughed as she stroked his back, whispering reassurances into his ears.  She signaled for Takashi to some closer.  When he did, he noticed the purple bruises on the young boy's back and arms that Sakura was quietly pointing out to him.  Takashi winced at the sight, and then sighed.

"How do you think that I can go out and have fun, as you say, when I know what the children here are enduring day after day?" Sakura answered him.

"I'll meet you at home then," Takashi said, retreating from his lost attempt to try to cheer up Sakura.  He got up, ruffled Jet's hair, and gave Sakura a peck on the forehead. The nineteen-year old looked on as her friend silently closed the door to the ward.  She sighed and laid the now sleeping Jet back into his bed.

'I do get out,' Sakura thought to herself as she rushed out of the building. 'I'm working myself through college and whether Takashi believes it or not, I do have a goal for my future.'  Her fuzzy pink scarf was wrapped around her neck, and the wind tousled her auburn hair as she hustled down the busy Tokyo streets.  She didn't notice the look of admiration she got while she went down the street.  

Sakura stood at a short 5'2, her long hair reaching her small waist.  Her eyes were bright and friendly, despite the deep sadness that lingers behind the beauty.  Being a windy day, she wore a long white over coat, with a pink shirt and jeans underneath. Deep in thought, she didn't notice the young lady on a cell phone walking towards her until it was too late.  The two collided and Sakura managed to catch the flying the cell phone before it hit the ground. 

"Oh! I'm so sorry miss! I wasn't looking where I was going! Please forgive my clumsiness," Sakura began, bowing and handing the lady her cell phone.

The woman looked about her age.. She had long dark hair in two buns and her ruby eyes stared back at her.

"Arigato," she said, with a tiny hint of a Chinese accent, "it was my fault actually. I wasn't paying attention."  She spoke a couple of fast words into her cell ('Chinese perhaps?' Sakura thought) and hung up.  "My name is Li Mei Lin, and I just moved here from Hong Kong," the stranger said, putting out her hand.

"I'm Kinomoto Sakura, welcome to Tokyo Japan Li-san," Sakura greeted, shaking her hand.

"Oh, call me Mei Lin, everybody does."

"Alright Mei Lin, you may call my Sakura.  So you're her here, ne? How do you like it so far?"

"It's beautiful here, but not as great as Hong Kong."

The two chatted for a while, instantly at ease with each other.  They walked the streets of Tokyo, deep in conversation.  Twenty minutes later, the shrill ringing of Mei Lin's cell interrupted them.  

"Sakura-chan! I need to go! You know my family business I was telling you about? Well, I'm sorta 10 minutes late for one of their meetings!" Mei Lin laughed. "Here. This is my cell phone number," she said, jotting it down on a paper, "call me tonight, yah?  I really enjoyed your company.  Maybe next time you can show me around the city?" and with that she was off, darting down the street, narrowly missing the pedestrians. 

Sakura laughed. 'Well,' she thought, 'at least we know there are still some friendly people out there.  She was really nice!'  Glancing at her watch, Sakura's eye's bulged.  7:53!?  Awww man! Takashi and Tomoyo are gunna _cream me!!_

- - -

Well, that basically the beginning.  Don't worry..things will eventually fall into place. Until then, review and I'll keep writing. Sorry its kinda short..it's just a prologue! 

P.S. I'm half way through the next chapter of 'Just Smile'. Heh..sorries guys.

Quote of the week: "It's either he's off his nut, or I'm off mine!" –George Bailey, 'It's a Wonderful Life"


	2. A day in Life

"What do you mean Koria quit?!" a disgruntled young brown haired man roared, "She signed a contract back in Hong Kong! She CANT quit!" he yelled, standing up and leaning forward towards the poor man who delivered the news.

"Apparently," the man stuttered, "the contract was only for two years, and it expired two days ago."

With a aggravated sigh, Syaoran sank back into his black leather chair, rubbing his temples.  At the tender age of 22, Li Yelen had put her son in charge of the Tokyo branch of their modeling business, Li Corporation, Li C. for short.  The renowned modeling agency had divisions all over the world, China, U.S. France, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Thailand, Philippines, Libya, and just recently Japan.  Li. C was the leading organization in the world, but lately, the title of leading company was being challenged by an American company.

Mei Lin quietly slipped into the meeting, watching curiously as her older cousin appeared to be telling himself to calm down.  

"What happened?" Mei Lin whispered to the man sitting next to her.

"Koria quit," he answered quietly, shaking his head, "apparently she got married to some hot shot up in Thailand and took all her money and documents with her."

"Ouch," she replied.  Koria was one of the most beautiful and successful models Li C. had.  "Oh well, I didn't like her anyways."

"What did you say Mei Lin?"  a voice boomed at her.

"I said, dear cousin," she repeated boldly, "I didn't like her anyways."

"Do you have any idea how important she was to our company?"  he thundered, eyes glaring at his cousin.

"Yes, I realize what an _ass_et she was to the company," emphasizing the 'ass', "but the woman wasn't much of a person.  All she was, was curves, height, and rack.  She knew she was beautiful and she used it to her full advantage," Mei Lin declared, sitting back in her chair, unfazed by her cousin outburst.

"How are we supposed to find a replacement before next season?" Syaoran questions, letting what Mei Lin said sink in.

"I don't know, but I'm sure we'll find someone here in Japan.  If you ask me," Mei Lin replied, flipping her hair," she did our company a great favor by getting her unwanted self out.  At least we don't have to put up with her incessant advances and flirting towards you. I think she's just bitter at your rejection."

Sakura quietly crept into her apartment, cautiously scanning the living room.  Not spotting anyone there, she silently closed the door behind her sighed in relief, tiptoeing her way to the bathroom. 'Whew,' she thought happily, 'I guess they went out. I'm SAFE!'

"WHERE do you think you were missy?" a voiced boomed from behind her, causing her to jump.  Slowly turning around, she saw her good friend Tomoyo standing behind the door, her arms crossed with a threatening look on her face.  With a shriek, Sakura bounded for the bathroom, hopping over the coffee table and love seat. 'Hah, I knew jumping hurdles fat track would be good for something.'

Sakura slammed the door to the bathroom, right before Tomoyo was able to reach her.  

"Sakura!!" Tomoyo bellowed from behind the door, "Sakura! You're about 2 hours late! Do you know how worried Takashi and I were??"

"Nope! Nope! Just Tomoyo! I wasn't worried," another voice, Takashi, answered from the living the room.

"Thanks Takashi!" Sakura said, laughing, "at least I know someone thinks of me as an adult!"

"Anytime babe."

"Tomoyo-chaaan" Sakura wailed from inside, "I'm already an adult!"

With a sigh, Tomoyo stopped pounding on the door. "Yah, yah I know.  Old habits die hard.  I'm just so used to pulling you out of all the messes you get yourself into."

"Har Har, funny Tomoyo" Sakura said, turning on the shower for a much needed bath.

Twenty minutes later, Sakura was in her pink pajama bottoms and white tank top. She sat on the counter next to Tomoyo, who was washing the dishes.  Sakura's legs were swinging as she took a bite from a green apple, flipping through her Economics book.

"How can you study like that?" Tomoyo asked, glancing up from the sink.

"Easy. With my eyes open. HAHA, I'm funny."

"Oh yea Sakura, you're a riot. So what made you so late?" Tomoyo questioned, drying her hands and pulling out a chair from the table.

""Oh yea!  On the way back from the orphanage-"

"You went back?! How come you didn't tell me! I wanted to visit Jet!"

"Sorry Tomoyo, I just decided to go right after chem today. But anyways, so I left right before the 'warden' came, and on my way home, I ran into someone."

"Boy or girl?"

"Girl. Her name is Mei Lin , and she just transferred here from Hong Kong.  So, I sorta got side-tracked and we kept talking and walking and talking and walking and talki-"

"Okay! I get it.  So she was nice? Is she taking college here?"

"Actually," Sakura said, trying to remember, "I think she said something about a family business.  I think she's maybe a little bit older than us, I guess.  She was really nice, and she asked me if I could show her around Tokyo."

"Cool. So how's Jet and the others?"

"Ooh Tomoyo, we need to do something" Sakura moaned jumping down from the counter.

"That bad, huh?"

"Even worse.  Jet has a nasty bruise on his back.  Tomoyo, he's going to go through the same exact thing we went through."

Tomoyo clenched her hands into a fist. "It's that damn policy.  If they didn't announce the arrival of the inspection agency, then that orphanage would have been closed down years ago."

"I know.  It's bad enough that they threaten the children to praise the orphanage while the inspectors are there.  They brainwash the poor things!"

"I know.  Remember when we were ten-"

"I wish I didn't remember," Sakura cut in.

"Neither do I, but we do, and we need to do something about it.  But remember when we were ten, we tried writing a letter to the social worker, and he laughed? He thought it was a _joke_." Tomoyo reminisced, venom dripping from her voice.

"Boy, did we get it Yamamoto-san got a hold of that," Sakura remember, hugging her friend. "But don't worry, Moyo, we can change this."

"I know, we're working double for this too, damn.  But the question is: Will we reach our quota before it's too late?"

"I don't know, Tomoyo, but we have to try. For the next generation!" Sakura said, jumping up.

"Yah…for the future." Tomoyo said, reluctantly getting to her feet and hugging Sakura.

"Okay, now get out of my face! You're distracting me from me studying. I am 'Super Sailor Studious Sakura-sama!'" Sakura said, striking a pose, "and I will punish you, for diverting my attention!"

"You watch waaay to much Sailor Moon dear.  Do you need me to warm you up a bottle of milk and find your rattle?" Tomoyo said, talking to her like she was a three year old.

"Haha, now out! I need to study!"

"You can study in the kitchen?"

"Shut up, fine, nevermind," Sakura said, grabbing her neglected Economics book and heading towards the living room. "Takashi's funner anyways," she added darting out of the kitchen before she could get whacked be her friend.

"It's 'MORE FUN', not funner!!"  Sakura heard Tomoyo holler from the kitchen as she flopped down next to Takashi.

"Konnichiwa Takashi-kun!" Sakura said, grabbing the remote from his hand.

"Hey Sakura, I thought you were studying." 

"I am!  Ooooh! Look! Sesame street is on!!" Sakura exclaimed, watching cookie monster gobble up a cookie.  "Haha! Those aliens crack me up, man! Yap yap yap yap!"

"How mature," Takashi responded.  "It's nice to know you're not moping around like earlier back at the O" he said, staring at his friend.

"Quiet, I'm learning how to count," Sakura said, ignoring his comment.  Count Dracula was on the screen with his bats, counting off. One..two..three..four…

"OH Yah!" Sakura exclaimed, jumping up. "I'm going to go call Mei Lin!!" and with that, Sakura was off, sprinting to her room, but not before tripping over Takashi's feet.  Takashi sweatdropped as he saw his friend stumble across the floor, and Tomoyo sweatdropped even larger from the entrance of the kitchen.  A few minutes later, Sakura's was chatting away in her room.

["quotes" are Sakura, 'these things' are Mei Lin]

'Moshi moshi? May I ask who's calling?'

"Konnichiwa Mei Lin!  It's Sakura, the one you ran into earlier?"

'Oh! Hi Sakura-san! I was hoping you would call. So how are you?'

"I'm fine. Were you really late for your meeting earlier?"

Mei Lin laughed. 'Oh yea, I was really late, but my cousin's the boss. He can't do anything to me.'

"Haha, it must be really fun working with your family," Sakura said.

Mei Lin didn't notice the sad undertone of her comment. 'Not really Sakura, my cousin is a workaholic! All he does is work work work.  He hasn't even seen Japan yet and he's been here for a month already!'

"Wow..must make a lot of money then, ne?"

'You betcha. That boy is loaded. And I mean _l-o-a-d-e-d. Haha. Oh yaaah, by the way, I was wondering, how old are you exactly?' Mei Lin asked._

"Uhmm, I'm nineteen. How about you? We never really got around to talking about ourselves."

'I'm 2I. I just turned 21 last month.' she answered proudly. 'So anyways, when should we go out? I'm so anxious to see Japan! It seems so fun and interesting!'

"Hmm, let's see. I have class tomorrow until 1:30. How about 2:00?  You think you could drop by my apartment?"

'Yah, yah! Sure!'

Sakura gave Mei Lin the directions and address and the two said goodbye.  When Sakura was off the phone, she opened the door and yelled outsideTO HER ROOMMATES, "MY NEW FRIEND MEI LIN IS COMING OVER AT 2:00! DON'T WALK AROUND NAKED, NOW. I KNOW HOW YOU TWO LOVE TO WALK AROUND IN YOUR BIRTHDAY SUITS!"

"Aww, damnit," Takashi said from his room, playing along. "Fine, I guess _one day wouldn't kill me."_

"Eww, Takashi. That's gross.  I don't think anyone would be able to handle looking at you and your package of marbles." Tomoyo replied from her room. "Poor Chiharu."

"Hey, I'll have you know Chiharu happens to like my 'package of marbles' as you so blandly put it."

"Okay, eew. That was way to much information for me to know." Sakura said, making a face.

"Wait..you actually have marbles?" Tomoyo asked, feigning shock, "who knew!"

Birds were chirping merrily outside the window of apartment 628 as the sun shone its bright rays onto a completely innocent sleeping form.

"Damn birds." 

Well, maybe not _completely_ innocent, but close enough.  Wiping the sleep out of emerald eyes, Sakura groggily rolled herself out of bed and pulled on her fluffy pink robe.  Neon green numbers flashed up at her.  8:03 am.  'Great' Sakura thought, 'I have 12 minutes to get to class.'  

Jumping into the shower, Sakura quickly washed up her hair.  Drying off, she pulled on a pair of pants with a large brown belt, and a brownish tan shirt.  She twisted her somewhat dripping hair into a messy bun and kept it tied up with a little tan strip of clothe, and slipped on some tall flip-flops.  She threw some cup of noodles into the microwave as she searched for all her books. After hearing the ding of the microwave, Sakura grabbed a pair of chopsticks, her books, bag, and keys, and then hollered out, "Bye Tomoyo and Takashi! Have a nice morning!" before slamming he door.

Rushing outside her building while trying successfully to balance her steaming cup of noodles was one task she had mastered.  She reached her cute little silver Lexus IS 300 (which she had spent her whole high school years saving up for) and sped her way towards campus.

'Another day spent at the university,' Sakura thought, leaving her last class of the day. 'Thank kami I don't have work today.'  Business and economics were the only two classes she had, and yet Sakura felt so tired out. 'Probably because the class' objective is to put you to sleep,' Sakura thought to herself.

Deciding to visit the O, Sakura gathered her books and made her way to the place she was brought up in.  Reaching the entrance, Sakura quietly crept along the hallways she knew all too well.  Checking up on the older children and saying hello, she then made her way to the youngsters.  Getting to the hallway, Sakura was greeted by a sound that made her heart drop in her chest. 

Commands were being barked at the young children, their cries and whimpers echoing down the empty hallway.  She slinked down the hallway without making a sound.  Four feet away from the door Sakura heard something that caused her jump and wince.  A loud smack and afterwards cursing was heard, as a child wailed in pain.  Sakura braced herself, remembering the sting of Yamamoto's punishment.

Peering through the small window, Sakura's eyes widened in horror as she saw the children being smacked around by that devil of a man, Yamamoto. Anger built up inside of her, and she surprised herself by yanking open the door to the children's ward.  She stood with an enraged aura, staring harshly at the 49 year old man.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?"  Sakura screeched, balling her hands into fists at the side of her.  "You have _no_ right abusing these children like that."

A look of shock crossed the aging man's face, but was quickly replaced by a look of smugness. "Kinomoto Sakura, back again are we? Can't get enough?"  When Sakura didn't answer, he continued. "Any luck finding that family that didn't want you? Or is it that they just don't want to be found by a bastard child like you?"

Sakura's anger was rising by the minute. How dare this man speak to her like that.

"Are you still coming to visit these little wretches? I would think that once you were released at 16 I would never see you again.  Guess not.  According to these little brats," he said, yanking a girl's hair with orange curls as she whimpered, "you come by almost everyday.  I wonder how I always manage to miss your little visits.  I always thought you only came once a month."

"Mr. Yamamoto," Sakura began, trying to suppress her rising fury, "you are _ruining_ these children's future.  How could you even _think about beating these poor defenseless children?"_

"Simple," he replied, "like this." And with that, he slapped Jet.

Sakura finally lost it after that.  seeing red, she charged blindly into the man who made her life a living hell.  She landed a single punch on his jaw, but seconds after that, the man had an iron grip on her arm.  Sakura struggled, but his grip only got tighter and more painful.

"I suggest you never do that again," he said, whispering into her ear, "otherwise you probably won't live to regret it."

"Is that a threat, Mr. Yamamoto?" she bit out venomously, staring straight into his eyes.

"Maybe," and with a powerful throw, he pushed her across the room, making his way out of the room.  

After twenty minutes of consoling the children, Sakura rushed out of the orphanage with promises to return the next day.  'Man! I completely forgot about Mei Lin!'  as she slowed her pace down, her thought began to wander. 'I have to be more careful when I visit the kids now. Who knows what kind of danger I'm putting them at risk for. Damn that Yamamoto.'  Her arm was stiff and she could tell that a large bruise would show up later on her upper right arm.

Reaching her apartment, she was surprise to see the door cracked open as voices drifted out into the hall.  Pushing open the door, she was greeted by the sight of Tomoyo and Mei Lin conversing in the living room.  'Heh, I must be really late.'

"Uuh..hi guys! Sorry I was late Mei Lin." Sakura said, smiling sheepishly.

"Oh no! It's okay! Tomoyo and were just talking about the latest spring fashion line." Mei Lin said.

"Hey, wanna come with me to show Mei Lin our beautiful city?" Sakura asked as she made her way to the kitchen.

"I wish I could," Tomoyo responded, getting up from the couch, "but I have work today. Don't wait up for me, kae?  I'm working double-shift tonight," she finished with a grimace.

Sakura laughed. "Alright, suit yourself, you'll be missing out!"

"Oh I know, won't I?" Tomoyo said, heading to the door.  "Bye Mei Lin-san! Nice meeting you. Come by here any time, our door is almost always open!  Oh, and watch out for Sakura later, sje has a tendency to klutz out."

Sakura threw a pillow t her friend and stuck her tongue out. "Don't you have a job you should be going to?"

"Oh yah..job. Heh, bye guys!" and with that she was off. 

- - - -

Hah..this story _is getting somewhere..i promise! I have the whole plot figured out in my head. Review review!! Please?_


	3. The Beginning of It All

Hi all! I have decided to let Sakura and Syaoran meet today. Wuuut. Haha, this might be pretty interesting.  

Random fact of today: My cell phone went off during my English final exam. That was SCARY.

Alright guys, I'm on my hands and knees, please please **please** review. I'll be your best friend if you do. ;')

Disclaimer: CCs _now _belongs to that crap company CLAMP.

- - - - - - - - -

Sakura and Mei Lin wandered around the streets of Tokyo.  Sakura was pointing left and right at interesting little sites as Mei Lin looked on in interest.  At around 4:40, the two friends stumbled upon Sakura's favorite little coffee shop, and she just had to let Mei Lin try something.

"I have gone here ever since my first year of high school, and haven't stopped coming here since. Oh yuum," Sakura praised, "the mixed chocolate in the.. mMmm, its so delicious. You just have to try," she said, draggin her to the counter.

"Hello Sakura-chan!" a kind old man said from behind the counter. "I haven't seen you here in a while."

"Konnichiwa Sijie-san!  Sorry, I've been buried in school work," Sakura laughed. "Oh yes, this is my new friend Li Mei Lin," she said, grabbing Mei Lin by the arm "she just transferred here from Hong Kong!"

"Oh oh! Ni hoa ma Li Mei Lin!" the old man said with a gleeful smile. 

Mei Lin laughed at the cute old man. "I'm fine, thanks. Pleased to meet you."

"And you me," he said, shaking her hand with much enthusiasm.  "So what will it be girls?"

The girls made there orders and found a table to wait.

"Ahh, Sakura, I'm going to use the restroom."

"Alright Mei Lin, I'll get your drink for you while you're out. Do you want me to show you where it is?"

"No thanks, I think I can fint it.." A minute after the Chinese lady left, she came back with a sheepish grin. "Uhh..hehe, Sakura? Where's the bathrooms?"

Sakura sweatdropped.  "Go straight down and it's to the left."

"Arigato!"

Sakura sat near the window, watching the interesting bustle of Tokyo street life. "Sakura! Your drinks are ready!" Sijie yelled from the counter.

Standing up from her table, Sakura made her way to the front of the store for the drink.  She failed to notice the young business man walking towards her, talking on a cell. 

"HEY! Watch where you're going!" the man barked as his hot drink sloshed around his cup. 

"I'm sorry-" she began.

"Just be quiet and get out of my way; you're wasting my time."

"Excuse me?!  You should have been watching where _you_ were going," Sakura scowled.

"I _was_ watching where I was going," the chocolate haired young man growled, his eyes boring into hers, "but _you_ cut me off, you little pain in the as-."

"OH, of all the arrogant, hot headed, immature jerks, I think you just about take the cake!" Sakura cried, folding her arms and staring directly into brown eyes.  'Can you believe the nerve of this guy!' Sakura thought.

The two were in the middle of the coffee shop, glaring at each other, daring each other to look away.  Neither looked as if they would be giving up anytime soon, and the customers looked on, sweatdropping. Then the young man's cell phone rang, and he was the first to break eye contact.  

Seeing this, Sakura did a little victory dance in her mind. 'I win, I win! What a bastard this man is!'

The man barked into the phone, in a language that. to Sakura, sounded like Chinese.  He sent one last annoyed glare at Sakura and walked out of the café.  Shrugging, a triumphant Sakura went to the counter to get her drinks, Sijie winked at her when she did.

Mei Lin finally found her way back from the bathroom, and sat beside Sakura, who was sipping her drink idly. "Back!" she chirped, grabbing her drink.

"Man Mei Lin, I just got yelled at by some Chinese man in a business suit" Sakura whined, swirling her straw around with a grin.

"Really now? How come?" Mei Lin asked, drinking the delicious iced caramel latte up slowly. "Mmm, you're right..these drinks are absolutely heavenly!"

"Well, he was on his cell, and _he_ almost ran into _me_ and then he got all mad!  He was such a arrogant jerk! And he was about to call me a pain the ass too!"

Mei Lin laughed at her friend's predicament. 'What a character this Sakura is,' she chuckled in her mind. Just then, her phone rang.

"Moshi moshi" Mei Lin answered, then she switched to Chinese.

Sakura sat there, drinking her cool beverage and listening to the musical language she did no quite understanding.  She laughed as Mei Lin rolled her eyes, wondering who her new friend was talking to. She could here a man yelling on the other end of the phone.

"Wait, did you say _green _eyes?" Mei Lin said in Japanese, looking at Sakura with a strange facial expression.  Sakura began to squirm under Mei Lin's piercing gaze; Mei Ling seemed to be scrutinizing her. "6:30, you said?" Mei Lin said, again in Japanese. She continued her conversation in Chinese until she was through. When she hung up, a mischievous smile adorned her face along with an equally mischievous glint in her eyes

"Uh oh," Sakura gulped. "I know I've only known you for about two days, but I'm pretty sure I know what that face means."

"Oh really?" Mei Lin asked, amused. 

"Yah, I believe it means: run and hide while you still can."

Mei Lin just smiled sweetly and leaned back in her chair, focusing her full attention on her cold coffee drink. Sakura took a wary sip, not taking her eyes off of her new Chinese friend. 

"Do you have a job?" Mei Lin asked from out of the blue.

"Yeah I do, but the salary sucks major butt though. I work over at the music store down the street as a cashier. Just barely over minimum wage." Sakura said, making a face.

Mei Lin nodded and smiled wider. "Well," she drawled. "how would you like to be paid 1000 week. That's a 5 hour day at 53 dollars an hour, 5 days a week?"

Sakura couldn't believe her ears.  "Nani?!" she squeaked. '1000 bucks a week?!' she thought to herself, 'that would be enough to put the O out of business!'

"Well, you see," Mei Lin began," you know my family business? Well, one of the models dropped out, and we need a replacement to fill in the 'green eye' category.  I figured, you have green eyes, you're beautiful, why not?" [a/n: I'm pretty sure that models aren't categorized by eyes, but HEY, its my fanfic, so what I say, goes. =') I hope you don't mind.]

Sakura was speechless. "Me?! A model?!" Sakura laughed. "You really think I can pull that off?" she scoffed. "Beside, I'm too short! I have never in my whole life known of a 5'2 model!"

"No no, we can pull it off! That's what heals are for!"

"I'd break my ankles in heels higher than two inches."

"We'll train you."

"I'm a slow learner."

"Nevermind that. You're beautiful!"

"I'm not photogenic"

"You have a fit body"

"Or so you think"

And the list went on, Mei Lin coming up with new reason and Sakura throwing back equal comebacks.

"Hah! I have school! I need my education!"

For that one, Mei Lin seemed like she didn't have an answer to that. Sakura was beginning to relax. 'Hah, she of all people should know how important it is to get a full education.'

"Well," Mei Lin began carefully, "your classes aren't continuous," Mei Lin said, "and you have the weekends! So you can come by whenever!"

"But that would be too much of hassle. I would be as if I'm planning my schoolwork around this job."

Just then, something clicked in Mei Lin's mind. "Duh. Stupid me! You can do the calendar portion. All you need to do is show up to photo shoots, and from there, if you decide you like it, you can consider bumping up to higher positions. C'mon, please Sak-chan? I won't take 'no' for an answer."

"I find it hard to believe that your boss would appreciate a barely dedicated model. I mean, I have to put my education before this, and me showing up spontaneously at odd hours of the day would definitely cause some problem. I don't think it would be fair to the other devoted models."

Mei Lin waved her arm, as if to shoo away the notion. "Hey, my cousin's the boss, and I'm his favorite cousin. He can't say no to me. I'm like hi cute irresistible and absolutely adorable little sister. Don't worry about that stuff. I'm sure he'd love you, and plus, he's desperate. Deadline's at 6:30 tonight." She finished with a smile.

Sakura looked skeptic. "You sound awfully sure of yourself about your cousin being so 'understanding' over this situation," she stated.

"Desperate time call for desperate measures," Mei Lin said with a smile. 'I got her in the bag..she _can't_ say no to this!' she thought gleefully.  

Sakura let out a fake indignant gasp. "Are you calling me desperate?"

Mei Lin laughed. "Well, I did see that 'Singles Ad' you put out in the newspaper this morning.." she joked.

The Japanese girl chuckled. "And I'm assuming that you're the 'tall dark and handsome man' who so earnestly replied."

"Oh, you know it!" Mei Lin laughed. "So, Kinomoto, my new very best friend in the whole wide world named Sakura, are you in? Will you please help the poor yet beautiful young Chinese lady in front of you?" she inquired, putting on the goofiest looking puppy-dog face Sakura had ever seen.

With a unwilling sigh, Sakura answered. "I suppose," she said, causing Mei Lin to squeal in joy, "but I hardly believe that you are poor, nor are you beautiful," she finished with an innocent smile. 

Mei Lin sent her a playful glare, but then beamed greatly. "Oh, thank you so much Sakura! I promise you will enjoy this! Oh, this will be so much fun! I get to dress you up! There's so much to do! Let's see, we need to buy you a dress, get your hair done, get your nails done, OH, and shoes! I can't forget the shoes .."

Sakura listened in disbelief at her new friend. 'Kami-sama, what have I gotten myself into?!' 

- - - -

Hey! Sorry for the super late update. Okay, fine. It's a little but more than late. Heh..'Just Smile' is still in the works. I'm kinda stuck on what I should do, and I was looking over my previous chapters in that story and I wanted to beat myself over all the unnecessary typos in the. Gomen minna. -_- I was considering just going over that story, fixing the typos, and maybe [If you guys don't mind] take out a few parts. Yaaah I know..im such a lazy butt. Well, review if you wish. I really hope you enjoyed this little chapter thing. My apologies if it wasn't what you expected..im still working on it. I know nothing really happened, but I promise next chapter will have some actually dialogue between my two favorite characters. =')


End file.
